# [[025_20221105 The Lurker in Light]] ## Session Summary > [!tldr] [[025_20221105 The Lurker in Light]] > We found a room that was locked, and realised that the key with a book engraved on it that we got upstairs fit the lock. When we entered, we encountered a fey creature called a Lurker in Light, which seemed malevolent and refused to be negotiated with. We killed it, and found that it was laughing at some grisly depictions of human sacrifice and the creation of undead. We found a formula for the *Create undead* ritual, which Karsh made me promise not to use, although I kept it because in the same book was a *Ghostly weapon* spell that might be handy later on. > > We continued to examine the library and came across an antechamber where some ghoul cultists asked if we wanted to be escorted to the High Priestess Nhakazarin. Instead, we attacked! ^summary --- ## Recap ![[024_20221020 The Senior Ghoul and the Librarian Ghost#^summary]] --- ## Log Door west of the library, north of the [[The Gauntlight#Bookbinder's repose]]: [[The Gauntlight#Bookbinding tool vault]] - 10 x 15 room - Shelves on the wall contain iron sorting racks and bookbinding tools. - No books. [[The Gauntlight#Airlock]] - Office that's brightly lit by several low lights on a chandelier above a desk and chair - Mirrors on north and south wall but both of them are badly cracked. - Door on the opposite (western) wall - Lockplate engraved with a stylized open book - The rusted ring of keys has two keys. One is decorated with a lighthouse and the other is decorated with a book. We use the book key! - Looks like nobody's been here for a while. - Everburning torch that we gave to Karsh. [[The Gauntlight#Book Key Room]]: - 15 x 15 - Doors: N and S - Looks exceptionally comfortable, thick carpet - bright light from a glowing chandelier and soothing incense. - Center: Two overstuffed chairs sit opposite a table stacked with books - W: More books are on a set of shelves to the west. - NW: Softly gurgling fountain resembling a mossy skull leaks water in the northwest corner. - There's a creature sitting on one of the oversized chairs. It's about 2 feet tall. It's trying to hold a book that's too large for it. It cackles and titters over the book and annotates the book with a colourful quill. - It seems transfixed/distracted by what's on the book. ![[golarion-lurker-in-light.png]] ![[1667641575172 - Combat]] [[Lurker in light]] is dead! The book it was reading was an illustrated copy of a text called *Pathways of the Worm*. It has grisly descriptions of ritual sacrifice. (The thing was laughing while reading it!) Most of the books here are about sacrifice, incorporeal undead, extinguishing living creatures and souls to create powerful magic items, famous hauntings throughout the inner sea region. If we wish to research on these topics, we can research here and get a +1 bonus. We spend some time healing. 10 mins x 3 There are two doors leading to the north and south. We look for the contract in the books and find something called *[[Ineffable hauntings]]*, tucked inside another book. ^8daf2b - It has the formula for *Create undead* ritual to create poltergeists. - Academic analysis of *Ghostly weapon* spell. Lets you attack ghosts. 1 day to retrain a 3rd level arcane or occult spell and then you can cast it. Fountain carved to resemble a mossy skull. ![[golarion-025.png]] We go south: [[The Gauntlight#Abandoned guardpost]] - Stool with a whetstone - South: staircase going down. North room from book key room: [[The Gauntlight#Book key commode]] - Bathtub and commode We go back to [[The Gauntlight#Library of the Canker]] The levels: Mitflits > Morlocks > Ghouls South from the library: [[The Gauntlight#Bathroom of shame]] - 10x10 - Bathroom's commode and tub In the main library, we'd need to take 8 hours to find out what books are there. There are 10 signs above doors in the library. Eastern room: - 35 feet wide but with cut edges. We don't see the end of the room yet. - Rows of bookshelves but some are tipped over or damaged. - Some books have been moved to other shelves - Double door to north: made of stone, carved with a strange feminine shape rising from a mist in a ghostly graveyard. - East: door - South: door - Ghouls here! One ghoul with a cloak and a hood that is ordering the rest around, and 4 other ghouls. As we enter, they form a defensive position in front of the north door. I cast *Protect Companion* on Ash. Robed ghoul speaks: "Wait!" "Are you here to seek an audience with the mistress? We would be honoured to escort you to [[High Priestess Nhakazarin]]." - Skram remembers Nhakazarin, but not as a high priestess. - Skram looks at the door and recognises the scene of an altar god, [[Nhimbaloth]], feeding on the spirits that nourish her. She's not a well-known god that feasts on the souls that are on the way to the boneyard even before they reach [[Pharasma]], headed there for judgment. They never reach their destination. Ash attacks!! ```encounter name: Encounter party: The Undead Unkillers players: - Zuhri - Karsh - Bond - Ash - Skram creatures: - 4: Thing - 1: Thing ```